This invention relates to an apparatus for connecting strings to a musical instrument and more particularly to a bridge that is attached to the body of an instrument which connects and holds strings securely thereto.
Strings are usually attached to a musical instrument at two places: the neck of the instrument and the body of the instrument. There are many different ways for attaching strings to instruments such as a bridge that is screwed or glued directly on top of the body of the instrument. The bridge separates the strings from surfaces of the instrument yet holds the strings in place to the body thereof through a series of holes that the strings pass through where they are then connected to the body of the instrument.
One common type of bridge that exists in the art is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,536 issued to Hoshina entitled xe2x80x9cBridge Mechanism for the Acoustic Guitar.xe2x80x9d The Hoshina device is comprised of a plurality of individual guitar bridge elements that are attached to a base plate and the base plate is attached to an installation plate. The installation plate is attached directly to the face of the guitar. The bridge members are arranged individually and independently for each guitar string. Each member has a string holder and is adjusted by a plurality of adjusting screws.
Another type of device current in the art is illustrated in a patent issued to Carrico entitled xe2x80x9cQuick Attachment Mechanism For Guitar Stringsxe2x80x9d (U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,764). The Carrico patent discloses another type of string attachment mechanism comprised of two attachment cylinders that fit matingly one inside the other. The first cylinder is frictionally engaged with the guitar bridge. A string is threaded through the second cylinder which then fits within the first cylinder and is locked into place. When the second cylinder is placed within the first cylinder, the string is frictionally locked in place within the first cylinder and the second cylinder.
While there are many ways of attaching strings to the face of an instrument, most consist of attaching the bridge directly to the instrument through screws, glue and the like. In most of the commonly known methods, the bridge is subject to the pressures of the strings pulling the bridge forward toward the neck of the instrument and away from the face of the instrument to which it is attached thus eventually causing the bridge to separate from the instrument completely. Most bridge elements are not adjustable thereby causing all adjustments to the strings to be carried out at the neck region of the instrument.
The present invention is screwed directly onto the top of the guitar body and has a plurality of saddle elements that provide a mechanism for each string to be individually adjusted both in height and length at the body end of the instrument.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for attaching strings to an instrument that allows for fine adjustments of the strings and thereby expanding the instruments performance capabilities.
These means are accomplished by a bridge having a body, a connecting means for connecting the body to the instrument, at least a plurality of slots formed in the body, a plurality of holes formed in the body and located within each of the plurality of slots, holes for receiving the strings, a plurality of adjustable members attached to the body wherein the adjustable members allow for fine adjustments of the height and length of the strings individually.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.